


Snowed In

by actuallysleepdeprived



Category: The Black Tapes Podcast
Genre: @mysterygrunks on tumblr, Gen, Happy Birthday, this is a gift for someone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-28
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-18 18:17:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7325491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/actuallysleepdeprived/pseuds/actuallysleepdeprived
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex, Nic, and Strand are stuck in the PNWS office overnight, and Nic is determined to make the most of it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snowed In

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday to @mysterygrunks! This is for Grace and I hope she likes it!

      “It’s official, we’re snowed in,” Alex Reagan sighed as she walked back into her office. Nic and Strand were both working diligently and didn’t even bother to look up. The three were spending yet another late night at the PNWS studio when a freak snow storm came up out of nowhere, closing all the roads. “We’re stuck here until morning, maybe even later,” Alex plopped down in front of her own laptop and sighed. “At least I still have some editing to do.”  
     “No,” Nic said suddenly. “I won’t let you do that.”  
     “My job?” Alex asked.  
     “Yes, your job. You spend way too much time on it. We may all be stuck in a place of work, but this is not a time of work. We are going to have some fun.” Nic stood up and started rummaging through a drawer in his desk.  
     “What are you doing?” Strand said cautiously. He glanced over at Alex who just shrugged. After a few minutes, Nic triumphantly held up a pack of bright, multi-coloured cards.  
     “Who’s ready to get their Uno on?” Nic said brightly, pulling together a table and chairs. Strand sighed heavily. This was going to be a long night.  
******  
     “Alex,” Nic groaned. “That is the third Draw Four card you’ve played on me!”  
     “Don’t blame me,” Alex grinned as her friend added more cards to his already enormous hand. “Strand’s the one who keeps reversing it so I have to play them on you.”  
Nic was too busy glaring at Alex that he didn’t even notice that it was Strand’s turn until he heard him say that one terrible, dreadful word: “Uno.” Slowly, Alex and Nic both turned to where Strand was sitting, a smug grin on his face and only one card in his hand. “Maybe using the Draw Four on Nic wasn’t the smartest idea,” Strand said, obviously gloating. He had no idea Alex and Nic were so competitive. It made him almost scared to be winning, but he wasn’t giving up that easily. They had dragged him into this game, and he was in it to win it.  
     “How. Dare. You,” Nic said through gritted teeth. “You come into my house-”  
     “Nic,” Alex cut him off. “Don’t get defensive just yet. He still has to play that one card.” Nic nodded thoughtfully, apparently coming up with some kind of strategy. By the time it was Strand’s turn again the colour had changed, and Alex and Nic waited eagerly to see what Strand did.  
Strand was in no hurry to take his turn. He looked down at his card, then at the deck, then back at his card. After a few minutes of this, he reached over to the deck and drew another card.  
    “Strand, the rule is you have to keep picking up cards until you find one you can play,” Nic said.  
    “Since when?”  
    “Since now,” Alex and Nic said in unison.  
    Strand threw his cards down in defeat. “You two are impossible. We’ve been playing for an hour and a half and no one has won yet!”  
    “You’re right,” Nic said thoughtfully. “Maybe it is time for a change of pace.” Nic grinned suddenly and started towards the supply closet.  
    “Nic, I’m not sure if I like that look on your face,” Alex said cautiously. “What exactly are you looking for?”  
   “I don’t want to spoil the surprise,” Nic called back. “We only use it on Christmas, how could it get lost?” he muttered to himself.  
   “Wait.” Alex got up and went over to Nic. “You better not be thinking about-”  
   “You bet I am,” Nic’s grin got even bigger.  
   “What?” Strand asked.  
   “Remember what happened last time?” Alex hissed.  
   “That wasn’t my fault!”  
   “What are you talking about?” Strand asked again.  
   “Found it!” Nic exclaimed. He turned around holding an old karaoke machine and plopped it down in the middle of the table. It took a little tinkering for it not to play feedback at max volume the second it was turned on, but eventually Nic had set up a karaoke station and was ready to rock. “Who wants to go first?” he asked, offering the microphone to both Alex and Strand. Neither took him up on his offer. “Fine,” Nic shrugged. “I’ll go first.”  
   “Here’s a song that I think really embodies my podcast. It really captures the heart and the soul of what I’m doing.” With that, Nic launched into an off key and off beat rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’”. When he was done, he offered the mic to Alex and Strand. They refused again. Nic just started his song over and was about to sing when Strand grabbed the mic out of his hand and shut off the machine. “Hey!” Nic protested.  
   “If I sing a song, will you let me get some sleep?” Strand sounded resigned. He didn’t like this, but he had accepted that it was the only way out.  
   “On one condition,” Nic said with a mischievous smile. “I get to pick the song.” Strand scowled but nodded. “If you don’t know the words,” Nic continued, “They’re on the screen.”  
   Strand honestly wasn’t surprised when the song started. “Ghostbusters” is exactly the kind of song Nic would pick. Alex snorted, unable to keep her laughter in any longer. Her snort turned into a real laugh that she immediately forced down so she could hear Strand singing. His voice surprised her. Somehow, he managed to turn an 80’s pop song into some kind of inspiring ballad using the exact same instrumental backing track. It was almost beautiful, until Alex remembered what song he was singing. This time, she couldn’t keep the laugh down and couldn’t stop it.  
   “I’m sorry,” she choked out between laughs. “It’s just-just so,” she couldn’t go on.  
   Strand looked at her in her hysteric state and sighed. “I think we all need to get some sleep.” Nic nodded his agreement. The two men left Alex to her laughing fit and got bedding out of the supply closet. (When asked why there was bedding in the supply closet, Nic just said “We’ve got to be prepared for anything. Besides, I don’t even know why we have most of this stuff. Is there a reason we have one of those Chinese cats that wave at you? Maybe, but probably not”). They made beds in the break room, and all settled in.  
   “Let’s tell scary stories,” Nic joked once the lights were off.  
   “What, are our lives not campfire material enough?” Alex replied.  
   “She has a point,” Strand said. Nic made a comical noise of defeat and rolled over.  
   “Goodnight,” Nic whispered.  
   “Goodnight,” Alex said before falling into the deepest sleep she had had in a long time.

**Author's Note:**

> This was honestly so fun to write I hope you guys enjoy!


End file.
